From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver from August 30 to September 5, 2017. Please note that you can now get the Scout List – with a few extra pieces of intel included – sent to your inbox every Thursday. Sign up for your subscription in the sidebar.

CONNECT | Twilight at Trout Lake is here. The end of summer community gathering encourages Vancouverites to bring lanterns to the park and participate in a procession around the lake. Attendees take in a variety of light installations, appreciate the beauty of the surroundings and connect with friends and neighbours. Arrive early to take advantage of the free lantern making workshop (6:30pm in the community centre). Wed, Aug. 30 | 8:30-9:30pm | Trout Lake Park (3300 Victoria Dr.) | DETAILS

FESTIVAL DEL MAIZE | The Canada El Salvador Action Network and the Grandview Woodland Food Connection are joining forces to put on a one day, all-out, super tasty celebration of corn this weekend. Focusing on Latin American culture, food and the central role corn plays in both, hit the 14th Annual Festival del Maize to load up on tamales, pupusas, riguas, elote loco, atoles, nachos, pasteles and burritos; listen to some live music; catch some traditional dancing and cultural performances; and generally enjoy the culture of corn. Sun, Sept. 3 | 11am-6pm | Britannia Community Centre (Gym D) | Free Admission | DETAILS

SCORE | Already thinking about the inevitable shift in seasons? Ready for some fall clothing? The mother of all warehouse sales goes down this weekend! Aritzia’s massive, once-a-year sale is so big this year that it’s taking over the Vancouver Convention Centre. Expect 50-90% off of everything from denim to cocktail dresses. Get in there and update your wardrobe on the cheap! Aug. 30 – Sept. 4 | 7am-9pm (9am-7pm Sun+ Mon) | Vancouver Convention Centre (1055 Canada Pl.) | DETAILS

POLISH FEST | Pack up and head out for a Lynn Canyon hike Sunday or Monday morning. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, hit Lynn Valley Village and stuff your face with a plate of perogies at the Polish Festival. Also expect live music, singing, folk dancing and a puppet show. Vendors will also be selling Polish clothing, jewelry, arts and crafts. Sun, Sept 3 | 2-7:30pm | Lynn Valley Village | DETAILS

LIVE MUSIC | The Victory Square Block Party happens this Sunday. Talent taking the stage include Dumb, Laydy Jams, Shitlord Fuckerman, Palm Oil, Graftician, Passie and Needles+Pins. Expect things to get loud. There will also be food trucks, DJs filling the spaces between sets and generally good vibes. Proceeds go to support Megaphone, a magazine sold by local homeless and low income vendors to generate personal income. Sun, Sept. 3 | 2-9pm | Victory Square Block Party (Cambie & W. Hastings) | Free | DETAILS

SCIENCE | Head out to UBC and hit the Beaty Biodiversity Museum for their Way Cool Biodiversity series this Sunday and a lecture about what makes sharks so insanely cool. From the Museum: “Sharks are some of the most fascinating and misunderstood animals in the ocean. They help to keep balance in ocean ecosystems. Sharks are not a threat to people – we’re better off with heathy shark populations than we are without them. This talk will also discuss Canadian sharks and shark conservation issues.” Picking up a little extra knowledge about the natural world is only ever going to work to your advantage — if not in practical application, at least it will amp up your conversational entertainment value at cocktail parties. Sun, Sept. 3 | 1pm | UBC Biodiversity Museum | Free with $12 admission | DETAILS

MOVIE | The Breakfast Club is the midnight movie at The Rio this week! “Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson as (respectively) a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal who are detained on a Saturday afternoon in the library at Shermer High.” Nothin’ like a little John Hughes flashback flick to kick the last weekend of the summer into full gear. Bonus: real buttered popcorn. Fri, Sept. 1 | 11:30pm | Rio Theatre (1660 E Broadway) | $8-$12 | DETAILS

SWIM | The forecast calls for some seriously warm weather and lots of sunshine this weekend. Scoot down and splash up a storm at Kits Pool. This lovely salt water pool offers 137 metres of relief from the heat. With soft sand and beach volleyball close at hand and plenty of great food options just an easy flip-flop across Cornwall, Kits Pool makes for a solid day of fun. The pool closes on September 5th for renovations, so get in there now! Pro-tip: the early bird scores the best towel real estate. Now through Sept. 4 | 7am-7:30pm | 2305 Cornwall St | DETAILS

HEADS UP | There’s a sweet sounding Harvest Moon vegetarian feast going down next week and you should know about it. It’s one of those gigs that’ll likely sell out in advance and we’d hate for you to miss a meal celebrating the beauty of local, seasonal plant ingredients in the form of a 4-course family style dinner! Take a peek at Chef Juno Kim and Dan Marcenko’s menu here (triple cooked beets, roasted wild mushrooms, zucchini ceviche, roasted delicata squash with brown butter eggplant puree – it reads deliciously) Wed, Sept 6. | 6pm-9pm | TurF (2041 West 4th) | $80 | DETAILS

EAT LOCAL | This is harvest season and the Farmers Markets are a tasty way to appreciate that fact. Hit up your local market to stock up on fresh local food. All kinds of berries are happening right now, plus salad greens, zucchini and herbs galore, squash is starting to come in. Apples too. Also cheeses, artisan breads, preserves, honey, wild salmon, cookies, and pies. Support the people who grow and make our food! DETAILS
Main Street | Wed, 2-6pm | 1100 Station Street
Downtown | Thu, 11am-3pm | Queen Elizabeth Theatre
West End | Sat, 9am-2pm | 1100 Block of Comox
Trout Lake | Sat, 9am-2pm | North Parking Lot, John Hendry Park
Riley Park | Sat, 10am – 2pm| 30th Avenue & Ontario Street
Kits | Sun, 10am-2pm | 2690 Larch @ 10th
Mount Pleasant | Sun, 10am-2pm | Dude Chilling Park